Pusher



,. v May 31 11927 w; R. BRANHAM PUSHER med sept. 14. 192e Patented Mey 31, 1927.

WALTER R.` BRANHAM, or FoRT VALLEY, GEORGIA.

rusnnn.

Application filed September 14. 1926. Serial No. 135,456.

This invention aims to provide novel means whereby, when the gripper ot avprinting press moves toward the platen,ithe sheetv which is to be printed upon will be moved over automatically, thereby obtaining a much better registerthan can be secured by hand, and, further, enablingthe press to `be operated at a higher speed than would be possible Otherwise.

It is wit-hin the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

ll/Vit-h the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, maybe made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows in elevation, a portion of a printing press wherewith the device forming the subject matter of this application has `been assembled;

Figure 2 is a detail enlarged from Figure 1; Y

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic cross section showing the invention as it appears when the gripper is spaced at considerable distance from the platen;

Figure 4 is a sectional diagrammatic view showing parts as they will appear after the gripper has moved toward the platen, from the position delineated in Figure 3.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown the platen 1 of a printing press, the tympan sheet being omitted. The left gripper is shown at 3, and the right gripper a't 2. The grippers 2 and 3 are secured adjustably, as at 1, to a slotted support 5 which is mounted pivotally at 6 on the platen. The construction above described is common and well known and no novelty is claimed for it, saving-'in so far as the parts specified may enter into combination with parts hereinafter described. The sheet 9 which is to be printed upon lies between the grippers 2 and 3 and the platen l and cooperates with the lower gages 7 and with the left gage 8, in a way well understood by those skilled in the art.

The pusher arm 10 is disposed transversely of the right gripper 2 and may beconstructed in a` varietyfof ways, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. :The arm 10 entends between the gripper2 and the platen and has an inclined portion 11 provided with an angulafrly A,disposed endor finger 12. The gripper 2 has an openingfor the reception ofithe end `12 under circ`u1nstances to be pointed out hereinafter. 4Inthe present instance, but not of necessity, the opening' for the reception of the part 12` isan elongated slot 14 in the gripper-2, although some other construction might belemployed at this point. y,

Any suitablemeans may` be. employed for mounting the arm 10,011` the gripper, 2 for swinging movement. If preferred, "the pusher arm 10 may have a1 hub 2O mounted on a shaft 15, the ends of which are received in knuckles 16 on one end of a carrier 17 (preferably a plate) superposed on the gripper and supplied at its corners with uny derlying spring iingerslS which engage the inner surface of the gripper 2. The construction is such that the carrier 17 will be held frictionally against movement on the gripper under all ordinary operating conditions: but, by the application of considerable force to the carrier 17, the carrier, and the pusher arm 10, may be adjusted lengthwise of the gripper 2. Spacers 22 are mounted on the shaft 15 between the hub 2O of the pusher arm 10 and the knuckles 16. The hub 2O ca'rries a stop 21 which overhangs the carrier or plate 17 and has functions which will be brought out hereinafter. The plate 17 has an opening 19 which registers with the elongated slot 14 in the gripper 2, should the gripper be provided with such a slot.

Y Let it beV supposed that the gripper 2 is at some considerable distance from the platen 1, asdisclosed in Figure 3. Under such circumstances, the stop 21 engages the carrier 17 and holds the arm 10 at such an angle to the platen 1 that, when the gripper 2 moves toward the platen, from the position of Figure 3, to the. position of Figure l, the angle formed by the part 11 of the arm 10 and by the end 12, will engage the edge ofthe sheet 9 and push the sheet over to the left, against the gage 8. The part 10 may have some resiliency, especially at the angle shown at 23, and sometimes the arm may flatten out from the position shown in Figure 41, the end 12 of the arm entering still further into the slot 14 of the gripper 2 `forming a stop to yarm at an acute angle to the platen when the into the opening` 19 of the carrier plate 17.

Afrom the platen l; the arm 10; assumestlie `position shown in Figure 3, the stop 21 eoplate 17 to mainf operating With the carrier tain the arm 10 at the proper angle with respect to the platen 1L "3 `'1`hedeviceis simple in construction but itl` affords a means whereby a sheet to be printed upon may be slid over into proper register. "Accuracy and neatness in the Work ispromoted, and production may be increased, by the use of the device forming the subject matter et this application. i

""lVhat is claimed isz- `l. The combination "with `the platen and the f gripper of a printing press, of a leeder arm adapted to ride alongr the platen as the gripper approaches" theplaten` and means :For mounting the arm intermediate its ends on `the gripper for swinging movement transversely of the gripper, one end of the arm hold the other end of the `arm adapted to ride gripper is spaced from the platen and when the arm is in au inoperative position.

2. The combination Awith the platen and the'gripper ofaprinting press, of a feeder along the platen as the gripper approaches the platen, means for mounting;` the armi intermediate its ends on the gripper for swinzfging,` movement transrersely of the gripper, and for adjustment longitudinally et' tlxegripper, `one endet the arm forming a stop to holdthe other end of the arm at an acute angle to the platen nhen the gripper is spaced from the platen and'ivhen the arm is in an inoperative pcetion,"` and an angularlyI disposed finger ou said other end of thearni1 the linger aiding;r to form a shoulder against which the une terial abuis,` the gripperhavvinir an elongated slot in` which the finger is received when the arm is adjusted lringitudinally of the griper. p i

In testimony thatl claim the fifiregoing; as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

" WVALTER lil. BRANHAM* 

